


Epic Intros

by Cielestine_de_Winter



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Young Justice (Cartoon)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-25
Updated: 2017-03-25
Packaged: 2018-10-10 13:54:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,347
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10439121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cielestine_de_Winter/pseuds/Cielestine_de_Winter
Summary: It's pretty pathetic how many people think that Dick's sole purpose in life is to be kidnapping bait.  But sometimes good things come out of bad situations.





	

The first thought Bruce Wayne had when he opened his eyes was _I’m late!_ He rolled over in his massively comfortable king sized bed and reached out for his cell phone sitting in it’s usual place on his bedside table. He squinted his eyes and looked at the time. 

12:41. 

Bruce abruptly sat up. 

There was a text message from Dick. _Get some sleep, B. A and I can handle the opening._

Bruce’s initial panic subsided. He and Dick had been up late the last few nights investigating a series of bank robberies in Gotham. The night before they were finally able to lay a trap for the robbers and capture them. They both had been up with Commissioner Gordon until a little after 5 that morning getting everything processed. Bruce knew he set his alarm for 8 and had left Alfred a note to make sure he and Dick were up and out of the house by 9 so they could make it to the opening of the new children’s wing of Gotham General Hospital. 

Bruce smiled. At 11 years old, Dick was becoming a force to be reckoned with. He must have talked Alfred into letting Bruce sleep and hacked into his phone to turn off his alarm. Bruce climbed out of bed and opened the heavy black out curtains, allowing the golden sunlight to fill his room as he dialed Alfred’s number. 

“Good Afternoon, sir,” Alfred answered. 

“Good Afternoon, Alfred,” Bruce answered. “How is the press conference going?” 

“Tolerably well, sir. Master Dick is doing an admirable job with the press and hospital officials. Better, I think, than a certain spoiled man child who elected to attend.” 

Bruce frowned and turned on his tv. He grimaced. “Luthor.” 

“After some gentle goading from Master Dick, Luthor has agreed to match your donation to the hospital.” 

“If he keeps his word,” Bruce watched the live coverage of the opening for a moment. “Dick is ridiculously good at manipulating him.” 

“He plays to his ego. He going to be a handful when he grows,” Alfred sighed. 

Bruce hummed in agreement. “Why don’t you both head over to the Wayne Building. I’ll…” 

Suddenly, the line got disconnected. Bruce watched in horror as the live newscast caught the beginning stages of an explosion then went to static. Bruce was halfway down to the cave before he even took a breath. 

  
  


“...he was only a few steps away from me while I was speaking with you,” Alfred’s usually calm voice was hoarse and pained. “He was being interviewed by Anthony Rogers and Adele Adams from the Gazette.” He impatiently waved away the EMS attendant who was trying to put the oxygen mask on his face. “The explosion threw me to the ground. When I got up, they were no where to be found.” 

“All of them?” Bruce demanded impatiently. 

Alfred shook his head. “Adams, Rogers, Master Dick; they were gone.” 

Bruce surveyed the pandemonium around them. Even after the 20 minutes it took for Bruce to fly his helicopter to the adjacent building and run down to street level, the police still didn’t have the scene contained. “Alfred, are you sure?” 

Alfred gave Bruce a look that in less stressful times would have been chastising. 

Bruce nodded and studied the smoking remains of the stage where the bomb had exploded. It wasn’t a large explosion, more likely just a diversion for something. “Go to the hospital, get looked after,” Bruce ordered Alfred as he slipped on his sunglasses. “I’ll talk to the commissioner to see if anyone else is missing.” 

  
  


Dick felt dizzy and sick. His ears rang uncomfortably and his arm was asleep from where Adele Adams was clutching him too tightly. Dick wanted to say something comforting to her, but the men who had grabbed them had pistol whipped Anthony Rogers when the tall man had demanded to know where they were being taken. Dick kept track of the 6 men and tried to get his bearings as the van they were in turned sharply. 

“It’s going to be okay,” Adele whispered, her tears not comforting Dick at all. 

Dick had a vague wish that he had been kidnapped with Clark or even Lois. He doubted they would be falling to pieces like Adele and Anthony. 

“Shut up,” on of the men snapped, shoving his gun in Adele’s face. 

Adele cringed back, clutching Dick to her as through he was some oversized teddy bear. 

The van came to a sudden stop and the back doors opened. One of the men grabbed Anthony by his arm and dragged him out of the van roughly. Dick struggled to get his feet under him when they grabbed him and Adele. He was pulled down as Adele slipped on her ridiculously high heels. 

“Get up!” One of the men grabbed Adele by her blonde hair and she screamed, letting Dick go. The man dragged her and Dick several feet before dropping them next to Anthony. Dick made sure to look properly terrified as he analyzed his surroundings. 

Aside from the van and the 6 men, the large warehouse was empty. Dick’s stomach curled as he recognizing the high caliber handguns the 6 men were armed with. Expensive, not the weapon of casual kidnappers, Dick thought. Maybe even paramilitary. 

One of them pulled out a cell phone and pointed it at where Dick, Adele, and Anthony were kneeling. “State your names.” 

Anthony’s voice shook as he said his name. Dick made sure his voice wavered slightly as his said his. Adele started crying harder, her words unrecognizable through her tears. 

“State your name clearly!” The man shouted at her. 

Adele sobbed harder. 

One of the men to her left shot her in the head, covering Dick and Anthony with her blood and brain matter. Dick slowed his breathing as he had been trained and memorized everything he could about the men. He pushed down his panic when he realized the kidnappers had not even bothered to hide their identities. 

  
  


Bruce watched the video of the reporter being shot dispassionately. He forced his attention away from Dick’s pale face as he enhanced and magnified the video, gathering every clue he could. 

  
  


The men dragged Anthony and Dick back into the van and drove for a while. The men mostly ignored them and Dick wasn’t anxious to attract their attention. Anthony was curled up tightly as he cried softly. When the van stopped a man grabbed Anthony and Dick followed quickly. They were led on a dirt trail through some trees to a cabin, then forced down a tall metal ladder that lead to an underground tunnel system. They were pushed into a damp room and made to huddle against the wall. The men moved around them speaking quietly. Finally, one of them approached Dick and Anthony holding a cell phone. 

“State your name.” 

Dick quickly stated his name. 

Anthony followed suit. 

“You’re learning,” the man smirked as he continued recording. “Do you know why you’re here?” 

Dick felt sick as he quickly nodded. 

“Money,” Anthony answered aloud. 

“Got it in one,” the man smirked. “But whereas the kid’s got a wealthy benefactor, you don’t. Do you know what that makes you?” 

Anthony paled. 

“Wait!” Dick said quickly. “Bruce will pay for him too. I know he will. Just…” 

The man pulled out the gun. 

“Please! Don’t hurt him! Bruce will…” 

The man shot Anthony in the head. 

Dick panted as guilt and helplessness washed over him. 

“Get up.” 

Dick stood up. The man put his hand on Dick’s blood soaked shoulder. “Now that the baggage had been taken care of, the fun can begin,” he pocketed the phone and led Dick down the maze of tunnels. He stopped in front of a large metal door. He opened the door and shoved Dick in, slamming the door behind him. 

Dick tripped and fell to his knees. He pounded his fists on the rock floor as a sob escaped. 

“Hey, take it easy. Breath.” 

Dick gasped and backed away from the soft voice. In the dim light of the room he could just make out another person. Someone small, maybe young, like him. There was a red light blinking from around the figure’s neck. “Who’s there?” 

The figure leaned forward. Dick judged the boy to be a few years older than him. The red light seemed to be a collar that was clasped tightly around the boy’s neck. “It’s okay, I’m not one of them.” The boy said soothingly as he eased closer. “Oh my god! Is that blood?” The boy demanded. “Are you okay?” 

“It’s fine. It’s not mine.” With the other boy in the beginning stages of a major freak out, Dick easily could find his center. “What’s…” 

“What do you mean, it’s not yours? Whose is it? Are they okay?! What in the hell happened?” 

“Language!” Dick snapped. 

“What?” the boy froze mid rant. 

“Alfred says that swearing only demonstrates a limited vocabulary.” 

“I didn’t swear. I just said hell.” The boy interjected. 

“Close enough. What’s your name?” 

“Wally.” 

“Dick.” 

“Your parents named you Dick?” 

“No. My full name is Richard Grayson. There were two Richards where I grew up so everyone called me Dick.” 

“They couldn’t have called you Rich or Richie?” 

“No, they started calling me Dick as a baby and it stuck.” 

“You’re not a baby anymore, you could introduce yourself as something other than Dick.” 

“My name is fine,” Dick ground out. “Can we talk about something a little more important? Like why you’re here?” 

“Yea, I would change the subject too if my name was Dick. Your parents must have hated you.” 

“My parents are dead.” Dick said flatly, turning around and examining the door. 

Wally blinked and shut his mouth for a few minutes. “I’m here because I ran away from home,” he said after a while. 

Dick stopped looking at the door and turned back to Wally. “You ran away from home?” He asked curiously. 

Wally sat back against the wall. “Yea. I ran away from home. I have an uncle who’s like… amazing. And I wanted to do everything I could to be like him, right? Well, he did this thing and it triggered something inside of him that made him even more amazing. I thought that if I did the same thing I could be more like him, right? You know, that he would want to spend more time with me. So I did it. And it worked. Only it worked a little too well and I couldn’t control it. Everything that was bad before became even worse because of what I did. School became impossible. My parents started fighting again, and my uncle…. Well, he has more important things to worry about than me. So I ran away. And I somehow got trapped here. They thought I’d be useful, but I’m not.” 

“And they haven’t killed you?” Dick asked thoughtfully. 

“NO, they haven’t killed me!” Wally snapped. “Do I look dead to you?” 

“No,” Dick flashed a thin smile. “You’re certainly not dead. I’m guessing you’re a meta?” 

“A what?” 

“A meta human? That collar around your neck. It’s a limiter. It’s probably keyed to your ability, preventing you from using it. Can I take a look?” 

“Um, sure?” Wally said, slightly uneasy. “What do you know about metas?” 

Dick carefully examined Wally’s neck. “They have this on you pretty tightly,” he frowned as he made out the bloody sores on Wally’s neck. “If had some tools, I could…”. He let his voice fade out. “What’s your ability?” 

“I'm fast.” Wally mumbled. “Or at least I was.” 

Dick let go of the collar and sat shoulder to shoulder with Wally. “How fast?” 

“Faster than light,” Wally’s voice was wistful. 

“Interesting.” 

  
  


“…I’ve found the warehouse, but I lose the trail a few miles away. The security and traffic cameras have been rerouted,” Bruce said to Alfred. “They know what they’re doing.” 

“And Roger’s body?” Alfred asked 

“Dumped at the police station dumpster. Once again, the security and traffic cams were disabled. They cleaned off the body in bay water. No forensics.” 

“And no demands.” 

“No. Not yet. But they’ll come. These animals are after money otherwise they wouldn’t have taken Dick. They want us desperate.” 

  
  


“Dick!” Wally crawled up as Dick’s limp, beaten body was thrown carelessly back into the cell. This time Wally was certain that some of the blood on Dick was his own. Two men had dragged Dick out of the cell a while ago, leaving Wally to worry about his new cell mate. “Dick!” 

Dick groaned and curled up into himself. 

“Hey, should you be doing that?” Wally asked, trying to get Dick to lie flat. “You look pretty bad. Did they break anything?” 

“Wally.” Dick said weakly. His right eye was swollen shut. “Hey.” 

“Yea, hey. Did they break something? Are you okay?” 

“They just wanted some action shots for the camera,” Dick grasped painfully. “Anything new with you?” 

Wally let out a slightly hysterical laugh. “Nope, just sitting here waiting for you to come back.” 

“Good.” Dick rolled over on his side and slowly and painfully scooted over to the wall. “Believe me, you don’t want what they’re handing out today.” 

“Yea, I see that.” 

There was a clack and the slat on the bottom of the door opened. A small piece of bread was pushed though. 

Dick looked at it blankly. 

“Look, it’s dinner time,” Wally said rolling over and grabbing it. “Wow, a whole piece. We’re in for a feast tonight. Usually it’s just a quarter of this size.” 

“How do you know it’s not drugged?” 

“They’ve been feeding me the same bread for the last 2 weeks. If they were going to drug it, they would have done it before now.” Wally handed half of it to Dick. 

Dick looked at the bread, then at Wally. “I’m guessing that your speed makes your metabolism very fast.” 

“Um, what?” Wally asked with his mouth full. 

“When you use your speed, you get really hungry, don’t you?” Dick asked. 

“Yea,” Wally shrugged. “But it’s not like I’m using my speed anytime soon. You should eat.” 

“No, you eat it,” Dick decided. “You never know when your opportunity may come.” 

“What about you?” 

Dick closed his eye and leaned his head against the wall. “I’m fine. If we can get that collar off you, you could get out of here and get help.” 

“And what would you use to get the collar off? This bread?” 

“I’ll think of something. Do you know who Bruce Wayne is?” 

“Of course I know who Bruce Wayne is. Everyone knows who Bruce Wayne is.” 

“Do you know where Wayne Manor is in Gotham?” 

“Yea, it’s that huge mansion on the cliff over looking the harbor.” 

“Do you think you could run to it?” 

“Run to Wayne Manor? Piece of cake,” Wally bragged. “But why wouldn’t I just go to the cops?” 

“Believe me, Bruce has resources the cops can’t even touch. If we get your collar off, run to Wayne Manor. The white haired man who will answer the door is Alfred. Tell him you know where I am and he’ll get you to Bruce.” 

“What about you?” Wally asked quietly. “What if they…” 

“You said you’re fast, right?” Dick opened his eye and gave Wally a lopsided smile. “Impress me.” 

  
  


Commissioner Gordon stopped the recording of the small boy being beaten and closed his eyes. His daughter was only a few years older than that boy. With a sick heart, he picked up the phone and dialed Wayne Manor. 

  
  


Wally fidgeted in the cell alone. The men had taken Dick again. In the stillness of the cell, Wally had no concept of time, but he instinctively knew they had Dick a lot longer than before. For several long agonizing moments, Wally half worried/ half hoped that Dick wasn’t coming back. Maybe the kidnappers got their money and let Dick go. Maybe they got their money and they… 

Wally suddenly felt short of breath as his heart started racing uncontrollably. What if Dick was dead. What if they killed him? Why were they keeping him alive? Who were they? How long would it be before they started beating him up? Maybe even killing him! Why did he run away from home? Why was he so stupid? He should have just stayed at home and… 

The door suddenly clanked open and Dick was dropped in. Wally crossed the room and knelt next to him, carefully turning him over. “Dick?” Wally’s throat tightened as he felt for a pulse. When he couldn’t feel it, he leaned down and listened for Dick’s breathing. “Dick?” 

“You have to escape,” Dick whispered weakly. “The guy in charge started monologuing.” 

“He what?” Wally asked, panic stealing his breath.

“Monologuing,” Dick turn his head and coughed, a terrible, wet sound. “It’s when bad guys start bragging about how awesome their stupid plans are. It usually a sign that they think they’ve won.” 

“I have no idea what you’re talking about now,” Wally said honestly. “Did they hit you in the head?” 

Dick shook his head. “Never mind. What’s important is that we have to get you out of here. They’ve going to start experimenting on you once they have the ransom money. They’re going to create super solders with your speed. Which is completely ridiculous because you can’t just make a meta. There has to be genetic markers that give you a biological inclination for...” Dick coughed up blood. 

“You should stop talking. You’re really starting to freak me out.” 

Dick grunted. “Help me up.” 

“I don’t think that’s a good idea, what if…” 

“Wally, help me up,” Dick’s weak voice compelled Wally to pull Dick up and push him against the wall. Bloody tears ran down Dick’s swollen face. Dick painfully lifted his arms and pulled a pen from his bloody sleeve. With shaking hands he dismantled the pen. “Tell me about school. What’s it like?” 

Wally blinked. “What?” 

Dick reached out and took hold of Wally’s collar. “School. I’ve never gone. I was just curious what it was like.” Dick grimaced as he squinted his one good eye as he fingered the collar. 

Wally swallowed over the lump in his throat. “It’s alright, I guess. If you have a good teacher, it’s pretty good.” 

“What’s it like to be with kids your age all the time?” 

“It’s good. Great even. There are good kids and then there are meatheads. Most of the kids in my class were pretty cool. You should come visit. You’d like them.” 

“Yea,” Dick turned his head and coughed again. When he turned back, Wally could see the blood running from the corner of his mouth. 

“Dick…” 

“Got ya,” Dick breathed and Wally heard a faint click, then suddenly a wave of energy crashed over him as Dick pulled off the collar. 

“You did it! You got it off!” Wally shouted. 

“Sh…” Dick tugged on Wally’s shirt. “Don’t use up your energy now. Store it up. When they…. When they come get me again, run out of here. Get free.” 

“Bruce Wayne. Wayne Manor. Alfred.” Wally nodded and sat back down. “How do you know Bruce Wayne?” 

“He’s my guardian,” Dick slumped against the wall. 

“Your father?” Wally put an arm around Dick’s shaking shoulders. 

“No,” Dick leaned his head on Wally’s shoulder. “He made me his ward after my parents died. He told me he didn’t want to take the place of my father, he just wanted to make sure I was taken care of.” 

“Dick…Are you sure he can help us in this situation? This isn’t really a normal situation. Maybe my uncle…” 

“No offense, Wally, but Bruce can help in ways your uncle can’t.” 

“Seriously?” 

“Seriously.” 

  
  


The frantic pounding on the door microseconds after the parameter alarms went off had both Alfred and Bruce rushing to the front door. As Alfred opened the door, a young boy started talking so quickly that Bruce and Alfred couldn’t make out what he was saying at first. 

“…dick’sreallybadlyhurtbuticantakeyoutohimbutwehavetohurryidon’tknowhowmadthey’regoingtobethathe’shelpedmetoescape.” 

“You know where Dick is?” Bruce asked suddenly. 

“Yes!” The boy nodded. 

Bruce pulled him into the house and marched him into the study. “Get Mr. West something to eat, Alfred.” 

“Yes, sir,” Alfred said making his way to the kitchen. 

The boy stared at Bruce. “How did you know who I was?” 

“I know your uncle.” Bruce said pulling up a map on his computer. “Now. Where is my ward?” 

  
  


Wally blinked awake slowly. The bed he was laying in was like a huge cloud of amazing. After he and Bruce pinpointed Dick’s whereabouts, Bruce handed him over to Alfred who had managed to cook up a veritable feast. Wally was worried about Dick, but the smell of the food after two weeks of living on stale bread was too tempting. He didn’t remember anything after his second helping of ice cream. 

Someone cleared their throat to his left, causing Wally to jump. Wally turned and found his uncle Barry sitting in a chair next to the bed. “Uncle Barry.” 

“Hi, Wally. Care to explain what’s been going on?” 

“How mad are you?” Wally countered. 

“Mad enough that you should be glad we’re at Wayne Manor as opposed to my apartment,” Barry’s relieved smile belied his tone. “You should definitely be glad that its me here and not your parents. I think you’ve been grounded for life.” 

  
  


Wally watched as Barry walked down the steps with Alfred. He stepped toward the door that Alfred had indicted was Dick’s and quietly cracked it open. 

Bruce was sitting on Dick’s massively huge head, his back against the headboard and his arm around the fitfully sleeping boy. Dick’s face was a swollen mass of bruises, his dislocated shoulder in a white brace that peek out beneath the covers. Bruce’s face was filled with gentle concern as he whispered words to Dick. 

For a moment Wally was reluctant to interrupt what was obviously a private moment, but he had to thank Bruce. Wally still didn’t know exactly what happened, except that Bruce somehow got in touch with Batman and his uncle and they rescued Dick before anything worse could happen to the boy. As Bruce smoothed Dick’s dark hair off his forehead, Wally took a breath and knocked. 

“Come in,” Bruce spoke in a quiet voice as to not disturb Dick’s rest. 

Wally tentatively walked in. “Um. Hi. Alfred said Dick was here and I thought I’d check up on him. You know. Before Uncle Barry and I went home. I’d stay, but my parents…” 

“He’ll understand.” Bruce studied Wally for a moment. “You saved his life.” 

Wally flushed and shook his head. “No, not really. If anything, he saved mine. He made the plan and figured out how to get the collar off. I was pretty helpless by myself.” 

“I still appreciate you coming to me.” 

“Dick said you could help,” Wally shrugged. “Is…. Is Dick going to be okay?” 

Bruce flashed a tight smile. “Yes. Dr. Thompkins gave him some heavy pain medication to ease the next few hours, but in a few days he should be fine.” 

“Great. That’s great,” Wally said awkwardly. “Will you tell him, um, that I said thanks. You know. For everything?” 

“I will.” 

Dick moved around uneasily and Bruce put his hand on the part of Dick’s shoulder not covered in bandages. Dick settled into a deeper sleep. 

“Well, I um, should be going now.” Wally whispered. 

“Good bye, Wally.” Bruce said. Wally frowned. There was something in Bruce’s voice that hinted that maybe it wasn’t good bye but when the billionaire didn’t say anything else Wally nodded and left. He looked back once and stared. For a moment he was intensely jealous of how Bruce so obviously cared for Dick. He wished, with his whole being, that his uncle felt the same about him. Wally averted his eyes and shut the door quietly. 

  
  


Months later Wally was running along side his uncle Barry, laughing, still amazed at how much everything had changed since he had run away. After being tearfully reunited with his parents, Barry had started spending almost every weekend with him, honing his meta abilities and even letting him come on a few crime busts. It was exhilarating and awesome- everything Wally had ever wanted. Tonight Barry said he had something special planned and Wally couldn’t wait! 

Barry slowed his super speed down to a normal pace where they could talk. “So, you know how you’ve been my sidekick these last few months?” Barry grinned. “I’ve been talking to Batman…” 

“Batman, no way! Wait, are we going to meet up with him?” Wally asked excited. “Do you think he’s going to have Robin with him?” 

“You know about Robin?” Barry asked. 

“Everyone knows about Robin!” Wally enthused. “There are only about a billion webpages devoted to him. He’s supposed to be super awesome. Are we really going to meet him?” 

Barry chuckled. “Yea, well Batman suggested that we introduce the two of you. I guess Robin’s been curious about you.” 

“Robin knows who I am?” Wally’s voice cracked. “You’re shitting me.” 

“It’s not as though I live under a rock,” a voice said cheerfully. 

Wally stopped and looked up. In the shadow of the alley way, Robin was sitting on a low roof. Behind him, like a dark statue was Batman. “Wow,” Wally said in awe. 

Robin flipped down and rolled to his feet. “Robin,” he said holding out his hand. 

“Wow. Um. Kid Flash,” Wally said shaking Robin’s hand. 

“Kid Flash, uh,” Robin cackled. “You need to work on your name. I’m going to call you KF.” 

“Yea, okay.” Wally blinked. 

“Come on, let me show you around Gotham,” Robin leapt away and then smiled at Wally. Wally quickly followed him. 

“You sure about this?” Barry asked Batman. “This could be very bad.” 

“Or, as Robin puts it, epically good,” Batman shrugged. “Only time well tell.” 

Barry shook his head, but couldn’t stop smiling. 

  



End file.
